There is some information that you want to keep private. Whether you are a business or an individual, chances are you want to keep things like your financial information, identity, etc., from falling into the wrong hands. Sadly, this has become an uphill struggle. Since many websites demand this information from you when registering or storing data, you aren’t always entirely in control of what happens. If a site you regularly use is hacked, your information is out there. You must understand where.
Much stolen information heads into the dark web, where it is often sold. If you are lucky, people won’t want your information, or they may not use it in the worst way (although still bad). It is vital that you know where that information is, though. This way, a business or an individual can take action to mitigate the damage.
What Are Dark Web Monitoring Services?
The dark and deep web is not the same, although they are often confused. It is crucial to establish the difference to know how dark web monitoring services work.
The deep web is any website password-protected and on the open internet. This is the deep web if you need to tap in a username and password to access information. Your bank is part of the deep web. Your Amazon account is part of the deep web. In most cases, there is nothing sinister about it.
The dark web is the hidden internet. You won’t find it in your typical search engines. You will need to download a special browser to access it. While there are some legal websites in the dark web, the idea of the dark web means that many websites are a touch more nefarious. They are a hotbed for selling illegal services, stolen data, and more.
Traditionally, the dark web has been hard to scan. This is what has made it such a great place for criminals. However, the advent of dark web monitoring services has allowed data on dark websites to be identified if it falls within specific parameters. This means that people and companies can be informed if their information has fallen into the wrong hands.
How Dark Web Monitoring Services Work
How monitoring services work can vary between companies.
Many companies do not share the tools they access, mainly because they do not want those that regularly use the deep web to sell stolen information.
These tools will scan for information within specific parameters, often based on who has hired them to provide this service. A person or business will be informed if any data is noticed for sale.
The right tools must be used for this scanning because penetrating the dark web is not the easiest thing in the world, especially since much of this information is there because it has to be kept hidden. There are millions of potential websites where that data is, and scanning tools must be constantly updated to ensure they stay ahead of the game.
While dark web monitoring services cannot always stop the sale or distribution of stolen data, it will provide businesses and individuals the warnings that they need to be able to adapt. For example, an individual could change their credit card details and passwords, and a business will be able to inform their customers that there is a chance that their information has been leaked.
If you have ever seen companies discuss the leaking of their data online, then chances are that they will have used a dark web monitoring service, making it easier for these companies to get their message out there.
Final Thoughts
Companies do not share how their dark web monitoring services work. If their tools were shared, it would allow the most unscrupulous data thieves to bypass these scanners to ensure that they can continue to sell stolen data illegally. However, quality dark web monitoring services have been known to protect countless individuals and businesses from awful situations related to their finances and other personal information.
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